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9:20am Thursday 9th July 2009
TICKETS for Chelmsford’s Fling were sold out.
On Saturday in Central Park the adults only festival returned with seven main performance venues offering a selection of tantalising treats including music, cabaret, comedy, silent disco, dance and poetry alongside participatory activities such as adult storytelling, body painting, mask making, massage and the festival’s very own beach, complete with real palm trees.
John Hegley launched proceedings at the Wordsmiths Stage followed by a medley of fellow poets, National laughter makers The Comedy Club based in Chelmsford hosted their own stage and brought along stars of the comedy circuit.
The Exotic Dance Tent returned next to the beach this year with a mixture of performances, workshops and chances to freestyle with newly mastered dance steps.
The festival also included a charity casino which raised over £450 for the Chelmsford mayoris charities, short films presented by The White Bus, a spoof fortune teller and a selection of other side shows.
Another addition to the The Fling was Quercus Mettallicus, a beautifully sculpted metal tree built by local artist Dan Peppiatt who used copper piping, recycled where possible, and added household water outlets which surprised and cooled passers by with short showers of water and later lit the area with sudden bursts of fire.
The council’s cabinet member for leisure and culture Ray Ride who attended the event said: “In its second year, The Fling welcomed three times more visitors than the previous year and even sold out on the evening.
“I was completely engaged by the collage of events aimed at the over 18s including salsa dancing, yoga, poetry, cabaret and bands and was glad to see so many people enjoying themselves at this full capacity event.”
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